Generally, we recommend seasoning your cast iron about once per month, but after every time you use it works as well if you find that it could use some seasoning. What type of oil is best for seasoning a cast iron skillet? Canola, vegetable, or coconut oil are best.
Season a cast-iron skillet regularly, and you've got a kitchen workhorse for a lifetime. Every time you use your cast-iron skillet, you're wearing some of the seasoning down, and eventually it won't function as well. So season it again whenever you see dull spots.
Although it seems odd, it is technically possible to over-season a skillet. Too much oil baked into the cast iron will cause it to polymerize unevenly and eventually will cause the surface of the skillet to flake. Adding too much oil when seasoning will also cause your pan to become sticky, notes Lodge.
You should only need to fully re-season your cast-iron cookware one to two times a year, but you may also want to give it some extra seasoning love anytime you cook something that requires a heavy-duty cleaning.
A well-seasoned skillet will have a dark, semiglossy finish and won't be sticky or greasy to the touch. It won't have any rust or any dull or dry patches. An easy way to test a skillet's seasoning is to fry an egg (heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, then add egg).
Cooking on unseasoned cast iron can result in sticking, rusting, and a myriad of other issues (some of which are outlined above). Lucky for cast-iron newbies, most skillets sold these days come pre-seasoned. Take your store-bought seasoning a step further though and add your own before you call it good to go.
Sticky Surface
If the seasoning in your pan is sticky, this is a sign of excess oil built up on the cookware. The Fix: To remedy stickiness, place the cookware upside down on the top rack of the oven and bake at 450-500 degrees F for one hour. Allow to cool and repeat if necessary.
All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.
You're going to have to give your skillet at least six coats of oil and baking to create a hardwearing non stick base. Basically, new cast iron needs some intense TLC for the first year or so of it's life.
Bake the Pan for 1 Hour
Bake upside down in the oven at 350 degrees F for 1 hour (line the rack below with foil to catch any oil drips). This will protect the surface and give it an almost nonstick quality. Some people tout another seasoning method: heating the pan on the stove.
WHY IS MY SKILLET BROWN AFTER PRE-SEASONING AND NOT BLACK? Newly seasoned cast iron may have a brownish tint to it. It's not rust, it's just the initial patina baking in. It can take a few coats of seasoning and some use to get a black finish.
So, why does cast iron look splotchy after seasoning it? Splotchy, patchy, or uneven cast iron is caused by using too much oil during the seasoning process. To fix it, scour the pan with steel wool to remove old seasoning.
Using too much oil, anything more than about the size of a quarter will just build up and cause an oil slick on your pan. When it's time to season your cast iron skillet, you simply can't do this with a cold skillet. This will cause build up of that oil residue, and cause stickiness.
Dry thoroughly right after you clean—do not let your cast iron air dry. Thoroughly coat with vegetable oil inside and out. Use a little more oil than you would for seasoning after cleaning.
NEVER allow cast iron to air-dry as this can allow rust to build. This is particularly important if you have just used soap. Remoisturizing your skillet with oil will be crucial in the next step.
With proper care cast iron cookware can withstand a lifetime of use.
What oils can I use to season cast iron? All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.
The best cast iron seasoning temperature for cast iron skillets is 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the oiled skillet upside down on the middle rack in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Olive oil is a great option for seasoning your cast iron skillet because it is affordable and easy to find. It also has a high smoke point, which means it can withstand high temperatures without burning.
Preheat your skillet before adding any oil, fat, or food.
You always want to preheat your skillet before cooking with it on the stovetop. Putting cold food in a cold cast-iron pan will make your food stick.
First, it's important to always heat up the pan prior to adding any oil, butter, or fat. When cooking on cast iron, when it comes to fat, less is not always more. It's better to err on the side of too much fat, and then simply drain any excess after cooking.
Seasoning cast iron with bacon grease is a natural way to preserve the finish and prepare your pan for cooking. We think a cast iron skillet is the best pan for frying bacon, and bacon fat happens to be one of the best best seasoning agents for cast iron.
Place the cast iron in the vinegar solution for no more than 30 minutes. Vinegar does a great job at removing rust, but it also eats away at the iron itself. In short doses it will not negatively affect the iron, but left too long it can cause pitting, discoloration, and can even make the iron brittle.
Cooking acidic foods or following improper cleaning procedures can damage the seasoning on your pan, creating spots of dull, patchy, dry-looking metal on the inside of the pan instead of the smooth, rich black of well-seasoned cast iron.
A well-seasoned cast iron pan should be dark black, shiny, and smooth to the touch. Unseasoned cast iron has a rough look and feel until it is properly seasoned.